GULFPORT, Miss. (WLOX) – Ocean Aero says the TRITON is equipped for underwater surveillance, designed to detect irregularities in port traffic and infrastructure. They are the world’s only dual modality vehicles.
Ocean Aero CEO Kevin Decker said they’re capable of keeping our ports free and clear of interference from unwanted adversaries.
“The whole idea is to do what we call change detection,” Decker said. “As technology advances, that threat becomes more real, we will use a variety of sensors, magnetometers to find metal, we’ll use side-scanned sonars to find any potential debris.”
According to Ocean Aero, the TRITON can sail autonomously for three months on solar and wind power at speeds of up to five knots.
Gerald Davis has worked for Ocean Aero Incorporated at the Port of Gulfport for three years. He helped to construct one of the company’s new Autonomous Underwater Surface Vehicles.
“I wanted to be a part of something that could change the world,” Davis said.
Davis said he’s honored to have a hand in this state-of-the-art technology.
“That’s the technology we’re trying to provide,” he said. “It wouldn’t take a life to sit there and put this in harm’s way, that way you just lose a machine versus a human life.”
Decker said oil and gas companies also rely on these devices to scan the ocean floor.
“The United States Department of Defense designated the Port of Gulfport as a strategic seaport. It can receive military goods, equipment and cargo from everywhere in the world, so it’s vitally important to America’s interest that we keep this port and others safe. We’re just starting here, but we plan to roll this out across the United States and allies,” he said.
The Port of Gulfport implemented continuous autonomous subsea surveillance on May 1.
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